The Hope of Healing

“Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” — James 1:21, ESV Our neighbor decided to till a patch of ground in his backyard to plant a small garden. With food prices rising, it was a practical way to grow his own supply. The soil was turned, the seeds were planted—but the weeds were never pulled. Soon, the weeds grew taller than the vegetables. In fact, he…

Are you aware that how you view God the Father is deeply affected by your family of origin? The same can be said of Jesus the Son, or the Holy Spirit. The relationships you grew up with, your family history and dynamics, and the quality of the bonds that you formed as a young person all contribute to the story that you tell yourself about who God is, and how He sees you. Many of us grew up and developed the notion that God is distant, aloof, and passive. Maybe we have…

Colleen loves her butterflies—swallowtails and monarchs. She nurtures them from the moment their tiny eggs hatch, through their caterpillar days, into the miraculous chrysalis stage, and finally releases them as fully formed beauties into the open air. I’ve watched the bond she forms with them. One swallowtail even returned after being set free, landing gently on her shoulder as if to say, “Thank you for caring for me.” But last week, something…

I can still picture that cardboard sword in my hand. Eight years old, backyard battlefield, drawbridge made from cutout flaps—ready to conquer the world with a shield I made from a refrigerator box. Back then, the story was simple. Good guys win. Evil loses. Life felt manageable. Safe. Predictable. But dragons grow up. And the lines between good and evil? They blur. Eventually, I found myself in a place where the story I thought I was living had unraveled—and I wasn&rsquo…

Years ago, I watched a remarkable moment unfold at a ministry conference.The event had drawn thousands, and one young man gave a powerful testimony about how he’d come to Christ. He described the moment with emotion and detail, but never once mentioned the name of the person who led him to Jesus. Later, during a break, I overheard someone ask him, “Who was it that prayed with you?”He smiled and said, “Honestly, I don’t remember his name. He…

Do you remember what it felt like to be completely free? To live without shame, fear, or striving—when imagination ran wild and every day was full of wonder? We do. I (Steve) can still see myself at eight years old, ruling the backyard as a cardboard-armored knight, conquering invisible foes and rescuing fair maidens (usually the girl next door shaking out her mop). Life was simple then. Not perfect—but free. No performance, no pressure. Just joy. Colleen…

Steve has had issues with his back for the last ten years, which at times are debilitating. As a result, he needs solid lumbar support in any chair he sits in for more than a few minutes. Being in full-time ministry, there is not much money left for extras. We purchased a good office chair for Steve, and in the evenings, when we spend time together, he rolls that chair into the living room, as our other furniture does not provide enough support. However, that solution was…

Too often, we see our brokenness as a barrier between us and God, something that disqualifies us from His love or hinders our growth. But what if our brokenness is actually a bridge? A sacred invitation into deeper intimacy with Him? When we embrace our wounds, not as sources of shame but as pathways to healing, we begin to see God’s unchanging truth dismantle the false beliefs we’ve carried—about Him, ourselves, and others. Instead of striving to hide our,…

In his book Shame and Grace, Lewis Smedes wrote, “The difference between guilt and shame is very clear-in theory. We feel guilty for what we do. We feel shame for what we are.” Everyone experiences a certain amount of shame and regret over sins committed in the past. The Bible has much to say about shame and regret, and there are numerous examples of people in the Bible who experienced these negative feelings. Let's look at a few. Can you imagine the…